Improvement in grapnels



B; TOSELLI. Grapnels.

Patented July 21 IINITED STATES PATENT CFFICE.

JEAN B. TOSELLI, or mars, FRANCE.

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAPNELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,287, dated July '2], 1874; application filed July 8, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Paris, France, have invented a new and Improved Grapnel; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a side elevation Fig. 2, sectional side view of shank and connections; Fig. 3, sectional top view of shank and connections.

This invention relates to that class of apparatus known as grapnels, and is used for recovering articles of value at any depth under water. It consists in sets of grappling-arms provided with claws, pivoted upon horizontal axes to a supporting-frame; Inside of said frame is a shank, moving as a core in the same, and terminating at the bottom in a weight, and at the top in a disk provided with a rim or ring that fastens into catches upon the arms when the same are elevated, and locks them in a rigid position. WVhen the grapnel is lowered into the water in this position the weight coming into contact with the bottom first pushes up the ring and releases the arms. allowing them to fall of their own weight and grapple the articles beneath them.

In the drawing, Arepresents the grapplingarms, having the claws B and the catches O. l) is the frame, to which the arms are pivoted at E, said frame being supported by a rope attached to the ring F. Moving loosely in the center of this frame as a core is the shank G, terminating below in the weight H and above in the disk I, having a ring, J, which looks the catches O. Said disk has upon its area four slots, through which pass the supporting-bars K, attached at one end to the frame 1), and containing in the other the ring F.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: The grappling-arms are first elevated, the weight-shank and disk raised sufficiently, and then allowed to slide down, inclosing the catches O, and thereby locking the arms in a rigid position. The apparatus is now lowered into the water directly over the article to be fished up, and as the weight comes in contact with the bottom or the article the shank G is forced up, carrying the disk I, and as the catches on the arms are relieved from the ring J the said arms fall of their own weight and clutch the article to be brought up.

The weight of the arms will be found usually sufficient to retain said article, but, if desired, the arms may be provided with ratchet-teeth, which, in combination with a pawl attached to the frame, would hold the arms tight upon the article, and prevent any possibility of its becoming detached.

It may be desirable at times to open the arms and release the article clutched, especially if it be too heavy to be raised by the ordinary apparatus, in which case a second rope may be fastened with appropriate attachments to the aims, and the supporting-power shifted from the main rope to this supplemental rope, which would have the desired effect.

It may be also desirable to secure specimens from the bottom of the various soundings, and

for this purpose the claws may be made scoopshaped and provided with lids, so that fragments of rock, sand, shell, and zoophytes may not be washed away when the apparatus is raised to the surface 5 or, if it should be deemed preferable, horizontal ribs may be placed upon the arms, which, when the same are closed, would form a perfect cage for the specimens.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is The combination, in a grapnel, of a vertically-moving shank, terminating in a weight below and a disk and ring above, with the catches O of the grapling-arms, and the inclosing and supporting frame D, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

J EAN BAPTIS'IE TOSELLI.

Witnesses R0131. M. Hoorna, EMILE DUHAN. 

